Hillary Clinton holds 15-point lead over Trump in Virginia

[HonestJohn]

By Michael S. Rosenwald
October 16 at 11:24 AM

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/hillary-clinton-holds-15-point-lead-over-trump-in-virginia/2016/10/16/67b3965e-93ab-11e6-bb29-bf2701dbe0a3_story.html

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign has offered the country numerous bewildering moments, but even seasoned political observers were shocked Sunday by a new poll showing Hillary Clinton leading him by 15 points in Virginia, all but ending the state’s battleground status for 2016.

Clinton’s 44 to 29 percent advantage in a Wason Center for Public Policy poll is more than double her lead in late September.

“I did not expect her lead to be as large as it is,” said Dan Palazzolo, chair of the political science department at the University of Richmond. “It’s just a huge number. Virginia has gone from being a battleground state to a clear Democratic-leaning state.”

Demographic changes, particularly in the crucial northern part of the state, have been nudging Virginia toward the blue column for more than a decade. President Obama won the state twice — the last time, in 2012, by nearly 4 percent.

But results from the poll indicate that the substantial widening of support for the Democratic candidate in this election cycle has little to do with the Democratic candidate.

Clinton’s overall support increased in the poll by only two points from late September, an indication that “while voters are rejecting Trump, they are having a hard time embracing Clinton,” the Wason Center said.

The poll, which quizzed 809 likely voters, was conducted in the days after The Washington Post reported on Trump’s recorded lewd comments about women and his continued defense of the remarks as “locker room” talk during the second presidential debate.

Wason Center director Quentin Kidd said the episode “fundamentally made Virginia impossible for him to win.”

The aftermath propelled Clinton among several groups in Virginia.

Clinton went ahead among men for the first time — 37 to 32 percent, according to the Wason Center poll. Another first: She leads among military families. Support from independents jumped to 39 percent, from 21 percent in late September.

Trump’s decline among Republicans (5 percentage points) and men (10 points) were particularly notable.

“Voters are clearly abandoning Trump,” Palazzolo said. “It’s clear that he has failed the basic decency test in Virginia.”

(more at link)

[endicom]

Well, Virginia is a welfare state. It receives more money from the federal gov. than it contributes. Most of the goober states are the same. My much-maligned state, with its "NY values," contributes more money to the federal government than it receives.

TANSTAAFL

[mystery-ak]

15 points...I don't believe this....

[DB]

Well, Virginia is a welfare state. It receives more money from the federal gov. than it contributes. Most of the goober states are the same. My much-maligned state, with its "NY values," contributes more money to the federal government than it receives.

TANSTAAFL

You are becoming an expert at strawmen. Is there a class somewhere for that?

The only reason states like California and New York are taxed more than they get back federally is because their cost of living is so much higher. Higher cost of living means higher incomes where the fed takes a bigger piece. It always amazes me with high cost of living states sending senators to DC that want higher taxes on the "wealthy" which is to say send more to the federal government from their state that doesn't come back. Brilliant...

[Formerly Once-Ler]

So much winning.

[montanajoe]

15 points...I don't believe this....

I would hope it is accurate, because it's not that Hilliary is gaining but that Trump is losing support. I think life long conservatives have finally woken up and decided that principle, that morality, that God is more important than winning an election. Trump is a bridge to far for them as he is for many of us here...

[endicom]

You are becoming an expert at strawmen. Is there a class somewhere for that?

The only reason states like California and New York are taxed more than they get back federally is because their cost of living is so much higher. Higher cost of living means higher incomes where the fed takes a bigger piece. It always amazes me with high cost of living states sending senators to DC that want higher taxes on the "wealthy" which is to say send more to the federal government from their state that doesn't come back. Brilliant...

It's not the wage tax but the corporate tax.

[endicom]

15 points...I don't believe this....

The polls have been on a roller coaster ride.

[Suppressed]

Well, Virginia is a welfare state. It receives more money from the federal gov. than it contributes. Most of the goober states are the same. My much-maligned state, with its "NY values," contributes more money to the federal government than it receives.

Your shallow analysis so often pushed by lefties accounts for direct grants, but not the vast amount of indirect welfare provided to NY. For example, huge federal efforts to protect major financial institutions is a benefit to NY, but not so much to Mississippi.  Same with Homeland Security, as another example.

Typical left-wing short-sighted view.

[DB]

Your shallow analysis so often pushed by lefties accounts for direct grants, but not the vast amount of indirect welfare provided to NY. For example, huge federal efforts to protect major financial institutions is a benefit to NY, but not so much to Mississippi.  Same with Homeland Security, as another example.

Typical left-wing short-sighted view.

Good point. Obama's trillion dollar "stimulus" poured into the big lefty cities. The rest of the country, not so much.

[DB]

So much winning.

He got tired of his "winning" apparently. I certainly am.

[Silver Pines]

Most of the goober states are the same. My much-maligned state, with its "NY values," contributes more money to the federal government than it receives.
TANSTAAFL

@endicom

Now that's interesting---"goober states."  Let me see.  If I try really hard, I bet I can narrow it down and pinpoint exactly who disparages the rural areas, the flyover states, and just about anyplace outside their leftwing metropolis utopias, and nurses contempt for the people who live in them.

Yes, I've arrived at a conclusion.  And guess what?  It isn't conservatives. 

[Victoria33]

@endicom

Now that's interesting---"goober states." 

@CatherineofAragon

I'm really old and remember when peanuts were called "goobers".  So, endicom must mean goober states are those that grow peanuts.  I believe Georgia grows peanuts.  You live in Virginia - do you grow peanuts?  Plus, why would growing peanuts be bad?  Peanuts wouldn't mean the state is Democrat or Republican unless one of those parties hates peanuts and they won't live in that state due to its growing peanuts. 

Words mean things and goobers means peanuts.  It is a terrible misnomer to equate peanuts with political parties.  How many cans of peanuts do Democrats or Republicans buy?  Is there a poll determining which party eats the most peanuts?  Until I see evidence of which party buys the most peanuts, I say leave peanuts alone and use their real name, peanuts, instead of goobers.

[Silver Pines]

@CatherineofAragon

I'm really old and remember when peanuts were called "goobers".  So, endicom must mean goober states are those that grow peanuts.  I believe Georgia grows peanuts.  You live in Virginia - do you grow peanuts?  Plus, why would growing peanuts be bad?  Peanuts wouldn't mean the state is Democrat or Republican unless one of those parties hates peanuts and they won't live in that state due to its growing peanuts. 

Words mean things and goobers means peanuts.  It is a terrible misnomer to equate peanuts with political parties.  How many cans of peanuts do Democrats or Republicans buy?  Is there a poll determining which party eats the most peanuts?  Until I see evidence of which party buys the most peanuts, I say leave peanuts alone and use their real name, peanuts, instead of goobers.

@Victoria33

Actually we DO grow peanuts here, around the eastern coastal areas.  Whenever we go to Virginia Beach, we like to pass up the interstate and drive through the small towns and rural areas (gasp!).  They include Wakefield, the outskirts of Suffolk, and Waverly.

You know...those areas where people without teeth handle snakes. 

[endicom]

Your shallow analysis so often pushed by lefties accounts for direct grants, but not the vast amount of indirect welfare provided to NY. For example, huge federal efforts to protect major financial institutions is a benefit to NY, but not so much to Mississippi.  Same with Homeland Security, as another example.

TVA, farm subsidies, military bases.

Typical left-wing short-sighted view.

Lefties are trying to elect Hillary.

[geronl]

Well, Virginia is a welfare state.

Trump won't touch entitlements, indeed he is promising new ones.

[geronl]

Well, Virginia is a welfare state. It receives more money from the federal gov. than it contributes.

The federal government takes our money and spends it on itself, it doesn't really matter where it comes from or goes.

[Oceander]

Trump won't touch entitlements, indeed he is promising new ones.

In some cases more generous than what the democrats are offering, such as on student loan forgiveness. 

[endicom]

The federal government takes our money and spends it on itself, it doesn't really matter where it comes from or goes.

Then they can take your money and leave mine. Works for me.

[DiogenesLamp]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

Oh yes! Let's do quote the Washington post for our election news!   Why they will only tell us the unvarnished truth! 

[DiogenesLamp]

I would hope it is accurate, because it's not that Hilliary is gaining but that Trump is losing support. I think life long conservatives have finally woken up and decided that principle, that morality, that God is more important than winning an election. Trump is a bridge to far for them as he is for many of us here...

Yeah,  that's what it is.   It isn't all media outlets hammering for a week on an 11 year old video of Trump bragging about his "conquests" instead of Hillary trying to get us into a war with Russia amidst the heaping wreckage of all her other corruption and failures. 

No,  It's conservatives coming to their senses. 

[DiogenesLamp]

Your shallow analysis so often pushed by lefties accounts for direct grants, but not the vast amount of indirect welfare provided to NY. For example, huge federal efforts to protect major financial institutions is a benefit to NY, but not so much to Mississippi.  Same with Homeland Security, as another example.

I have been noticing that this sort of thing has been going on for a very long time...  Since prior to the Civil War.    Yes,  there are a lot of financial interests which get buttered from an expansive Federal Government shooting forth their money fountain.   

[sneakypete]

 Not really surprising. Northern Virginia is nothing more than a suburb of Maryland,filled full of leftist government employees,lobbyists,etc,etc,etc. People with big bucks who won't live in DC because of all the crime have moved there and build McMansions all over the countryside. Being government employees,they will ALWAYS vote for more government.

Virginia is also loaded with Muslims and blacks,and both are owned by the DNC.

Which leaves southern Va,with the massive Navy presence in the east that has sailors and civil service workers as well as contractors voting for more government and more government intervention in foreign countries because it guarantees them future jobs,and the mostly rural areas of southwestern,Va,where there are few people,even if they are conservatives.

Chances are Va will never again elect a conservative to senior state office or federal office. Look at the last two subhumans that voted into the Governor's office as proof of that.

[geronl]

Look at the last two subhumans that voted into the Governor's office as proof of that.

endorsed and funded by Trump

[Silver Pines]

Not really surprising. Northern Virginia is nothing more than a suburb of Maryland,filled full of leftist government employees,lobbyists,etc,etc,etc. People with big bucks who won't live in DC because of all the crime have moved there and build McMansions all over the countryside. Being government employees,they will ALWAYS vote for more government.

Virginia is also loaded with Muslims and blacks,and both are owned by the DNC.

Which leaves southern Va,with the massive Navy presence in the east that has sailors and civil service workers as well as contractors voting for more government and more government intervention in foreign countries because it guarantees them future jobs,and the mostly rural areas of southwestern,Va,where there are few people,even if they are conservatives.

Chances are Va will never again elect a conservative to senior state office or federal office. Look at the last two subhumans that voted into the Governor's office as proof of that.

@sneakypete

And there's here---central Virginia.  We're between Lynchburg and Appomattox, and we're still red.  But I agree, I think the state as a whole is far gone.

Appomattox is filled with Muslims, and there's an armed paramilitary Muslim camp---"Muslims of America'---down the road in Red House.  Fox News ran a story about it a year or so ago.